Marathon, Ontario

2025-01-07T14:41:34Z

207.164.204.3: /* Recreation */ just made some additions to other recreation facilities in the town

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Marathon
|official_name = Town of Marathon
|settlement_type = [[List of towns in Ontario|Town]] ([[List of municipalities in Ontario#Single-tier municipalities|single-tier]])
|other_name =
|native_name = 
|nickname =
|motto = Built On Paper - Laced With Gold!
|image_skyline = MarathonPulpInc2000.jpg
|image_caption = Marathon Pulp Mill, operated 1946-2009
|image_flag =
|flag_size =
|image_seal =
|seal_size =
|image_shield =
|shield_size =
|city_logo =
|citylogo_size =
|image_map =
|mapsize =
|map_caption =
|pushpin_map = Canada Ontario
|pushpin_mapsize = 200
|pushpin_label_position = top
|subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
|subdivision_name = Canada
|subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Ontario]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Census divisions of Ontario|District]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Thunder Bay District|Thunder Bay]]
|government_footnotes =
|government_type =
|leader_title = Mayor
|leader_name = Rick Dumas
|leader_title1 = CAO
|leader_name1 = Darryl Skworchinski
|leader_title2 = Councillors
|leader_name2 = {{Collapsible list
|title = List of councillors
|frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
|title_style =
|list_style = text-align:left;display:none;
|1=Terry Fox
|2=Ray Lake
|3=Chantal Gingras
|4=Kelly Tsubouchi
}}
|leader_title3 = Federal riding
|leader_name3 = [[Thunder Bay—Superior North (federal electoral district)|Thunder Bay—Superior North]]
|leader_title4 = Prov. riding
|leader_name4 = [[Thunder Bay—Superior North (provincial electoral district)|Thunder Bay—Superior North]]
|established_title = 
|established_date =
|established_title2 = 
|established_date2 =
|established_title3 = 
|established_date3 =
|area_magnitude =
|area_footnotes =
|area_total_km2 =
|area_land_km2 = 170.54
|area_water_km2 =
|area_water_percent =
|population_as_of = 2016
|population_footnotes = <ref name="census2016">{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E |title=Marathon census profile |publisher=Statistics Canada |work=[[Canada 2016 Census|2016 Census of Population]] |date=February 8, 2017 |access-date=March 15, 2017}}</ref>
|population_note =
|population_total = 3273
|population_density_km2 = 19.2
|population_blank1_title =
|population_blank1 =
|population_density_blank1_km2 =
|timezone = [[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|EST]]
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
|utc_offset_DST = -4
|coordinates = {{coord|48|45|N|86|22|W|region:CA-ON|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes = 
|elevation_m = 220
|postal_code_type = Postal Code
|postal_code = P0T 2E0
|area_code = [[Area code 807|807]]
|blank_name =
|blank_info =
|blank1_name =
|blank1_info =
|website = [http://www.marathon.ca/ www.marathon.ca]
|footnotes =
}}

'''Marathon''' is a town in the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canadian province]] of [[Ontario]], located in [[Thunder Bay District]], on the north shore of [[Lake Superior]] north of [[Pukaskwa National Park]].

==Geography==
Personal residences encompass an area starting from Lake Superior, and stretch out to a new subdivision near Penn Lake, an in-town campsite and beach in the eastern portion of the town. The [[Pic River]] is outside of the town's eastern limits.

The town is adjacent to Peninsula Harbour and has several coves including Carden Cove, Sturdee Cove and Craddock Cove; all three are west-northwest of Marathon. Penn Lake is a local lake within the town where tourists can enjoy camping and water sports.

Heron Bay is a town located to the south of Marathon and shares the post office and phone prefix. The Pic River First Nation is on the outskirts of [[Pukaskwa National Park]].

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations
|title = Marathon, Ontario Historical populations
|type = Canada
|align = right
|percentages =
|footnote = <ref>Statistics Canada: [[Canada 1996 Census|1996]], [[Canada 2001 Census|2001]], [[Canada 2006 Census|2006]], [[Canada 2011 Census|2011]] census</ref><ref name="cp2011"/><ref name="census2016"/>
| 1991| 5064
|[[Canada 1996 Census|1996]]| 4791
|[[Canada 2001 Census|2001]]| 4416
|[[Canada 2006 Census|2006]]| 3863
|[[Canada 2011 Census|2011]]| 3353
|[[Canada 2016 Census|2016]]| 3273
}}

In the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 Census of Population]] conducted by [[Statistics Canada]], Marathon had a population of {{val|3138|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|1412|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|1602|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:3138-3273}}|3273|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|3273|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|167.03|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|3138|167.03|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name=2021census>{{cite web |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000203&geocode=A000235 |title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario |publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] |date=February 9, 2022 |accessdate=March 30, 2022}}</ref>
{{Canada census
|location = Marathon
|2021_population=3,138 | 2021_pop_delta=-4.1 | 2021_land_area=167.03 | 2021_pop_density=18.8
|2021_median_age=43.2 | 2021_median_age_m=42.8 | 2021_median_age_f=43.6
|2021_total_pvt_dwell=1,602 |2021_occ_pvt_dwell=1,412 |2021_mean_hh_income=92,000
|2021_geocode=2021A00053558059 | 2021_access_date=2023-10-19
|2016_population=3,273 | 2016_pop_delta=-2.4 | 2016_land_area=170.54 | 2016_pop_density=19.2
|2016_median_age=44.9 | 2016_median_age_m=45.8 | 2016_median_age_f=44.4
|2016_total_pvt_dwell=1,643 | 2016_mean_hh_income=82.816 | 2016_access_date=2017-03-15
|2011_population=3,353 | 2011_pop_delta=-13.2 | 2011_land_area=170.48 | 2011_pop_density=19.7
|2011_median_age= | 2011_median_age_m= | 2011_median_age_f=
|2011_total_pvt_dwell=1,653 | 2011_mean_hh_income= | 2011_access_date=2012-03-29
|2006_population=3,863 | 2006_pop_delta=-12.5 | 2006_land_area=170.48 | 2006_pop_density=22.7
|2006_median_age=39.8 | 2006_median_age_m=40.6 | 2006_median_age_f=39.0
|2006_total_pvt_dwell=1,678 | 2006_mean_hh_income=82,991 | 2006_access_date=2011-04-19
|2001_population=4,416 | 2001_pop_delta=-7.8 | 2001_land_area=170.48 | 2001_pop_density=25.9
|2001_median_age=36.0 | 2001_median_age_m=36.4 | 2001_median_age_f=35.6
|2001_total_pvt_dwell=1,766 | 2001_mean_hh_income=70,870 | 2001_access_date=2011-04-19
}}

==Economy and transportation==
Marathon's resource economy was built on pulp, most recently managed by Marathon Pulp Inc. On February 12, 2009, Marathon Pulp Inc. announced an indefinite shutdown that eliminated hundreds of jobs from the region, and negatively impacted Marathon's tax base and its local economy.

Starting in the mid-1980s Marathon's economy expanded to include gold mining. The Hemlo Operations included three gold mining operations: Williams, David Bell and [[Golden Giant Mine|Golden Giant]] mines. In 2009, [[Vancouver]]-based [[Teck Cominco]] mining company sold its 50% share of Williams and David Bell to its investing partner, [[Barrick Gold]] Corporation, while Golden Giant was decommissioned in 2005. Golden Giant mine is now owned by Barrick Gold Corporation and is now part of David Bell mine.

Marathon is the centre of commerce for the [[rural]] region in which it is situated. It boasts the largest indoor [[shopping mall]] between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie, and one of only three [[Canadian Tire]] department stores in the region.

Marathon is located {{convert|2|km|abbr=on}} west of [[Trans-Canada Highway|Trans Canada]] [[Highway 17 (Ontario)|Highway 17]], to which it is connected via Peninsula Road (formerly [[Highway 626 (Ontario)|Highway 626]]). The town is served by the [[Canadian Pacific Railway]] and a geographically important airport ([[Marathon Aerodrome]]) just north of the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately {{convert|4|km|abbr=on}} northeast of the town. It has [[Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services|Ontario Northland motor coach]] service on its Sault Ste. Marie{{endash}}Thunder Bay route.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ontarionorthland.ca/communications/schedules/2023-03-19-SCHED-601-602-EN.PDF |title=Schedule 601-602 : Thunder Bay - Sault Ste. Marie |publisher=Ontario Northland |date=March 19, 2023 |access-date=April 12, 2023}}</ref>
{{Further|topic=the 1884 McCoy Township railway|Red Sucker tunnel}}

==Education==
Marathon is served by five schools. Three of these are public schools: Margaret Twomey Public School, Marathon High School, and École Secondaire Cité-Supérieure. Two are Roman Catholic separate schools: Holy Saviour School and École Val-des-Bois.

==Recreation==
Marathon has a children's park named after Del Earle, one of the town's founders, along with another park on Penn Lake.

Marathon has a challenging 9 hole [[golf]] course, [[cross-country skiing]] trails and downhill [[skiing]] (now closed), a 4-sheet curling venue (now closed), and the only indoor swimming pool between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie (now closed), and a [[movie theater]] along with an [[ice skating]] rink.

Recent developments in the town include a new [[skateboarding|skatepark]], [[basketball]] courts and the refinishing of the [[tennis]] courts.

==Culture and the arts==
Marathon's art and culture community has varied over time.

Marathon has been home to a community entertainment series, a community choir, coffee houses & culture jams, a writer's group, an art gallery, house concerts, frequent dinner theatres, art and photography displays, quilting groups and shows, a ceramics club, annual craft shows, and numerous art classes.

A summer music series, known as "Concerts in the Parking Lot", was inaugurated in July 2006 and is held in the town centre on Wednesday evenings in summer. This casual series encompasses a variety of musical genres and showcases talent both local and from "away".

In 2010, Marathon was one of the many Canadian communities that the [[2010 Winter Olympics torch relay|Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Torch Relay]] passed through.

== Community groups and services ==
Marathon is served by numerous organizations and services. These include, among many others, the Cub Scouts, Salvation Army, Girl Guides, Victim Services, and the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.

==Climate==
Marathon has a warm-summer [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Dfb''), with its position north of [[Lake Superior]] the climate is attenuated, mainly the southern heatwaves, due to the hot [[air mass]]es already have crossing the entire lake. It is noted differences with [[Thunder Bay]], for example, keeping winters still rigorous but warm summers and sometimes cool.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://en.climate-data.org/north-america/canada/ontario/marathon-14611/ |title=Marathon climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Marathon weather averages - Climate-Data.org |website=en.climate-data.org |access-date=November 26, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/superior/weathertable2.html |title=Untitled |website=law2.umkc.edu |access-date=November 26, 2019}}</ref>

A weather station was run in the town from 1950 to 1983. Data is sparse. The data presented below is from a short-lived station at nearby [[Terrace Bay]].

{{Weather box
|location = Terrace Bay, Ontario
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 3
|Feb record high C = 7
|Mar record high C = 13
|Apr record high C = 20
|May record high C = 25
|Jun record high C = 30
|Jul record high C = 30
|Aug record high C = 33
|Sep record high C = 27
|Oct record high C = 18
|Nov record high C = 15
|Dec record high C = 9
|year record high C = 33
|Jan high C = -9
|Feb high C = -3
|Mar high C = 1
|Apr high C = 8
|May high C = 14
|Jun high C = 19
|Jul high C = 22
|Aug high C = 21
|Sep high C = 17
|Oct high C = 10
|Nov high C = 2
|Dec high C = -6
|year high C =
|Jan mean C= -15.1
|Feb mean C= -8.5
|Mar mean C= -5.6
|Apr mean C= 1.3
|May mean C= 7.7
|Jun mean C= 12.5
|Jul mean C= 15.9
|Aug mean C= 15.1
|Sep mean C= 11.4
|Oct mean C= 4.9
|Nov mean C= -1.7
|Dec mean C= -10.5
|Jan low C = -21
|Feb low C = -14
|Mar low C = -12
|Apr low C = -5
|May low C = 2
|Jun low C = 6
|Jul low C = 10
|Aug low C = 9
|Sep low C = 6
|Oct low C = 0
|Nov low C = -5
|Dec low C = -15
|year low C =
|Jan record low C = -38
|Feb record low C = -34
|Mar record low C = -30
|Apr record low C = -22
|May record low C = -8
|Jun record low C = -3
|Jul record low C = 0
|Aug record low C = 0
|Sep record low C = -6
|Oct record low C = -11
|Nov record low C = -23
|Dec record low C = -36
|year record low C = -38
|Jan precipitation mm = 69
|Feb precipitation mm = 49
|Mar precipitation mm = 71
|Apr precipitation mm = 35
|May precipitation mm = 85
|Jun precipitation mm = 109
|Jul precipitation mm = 60
|Aug precipitation mm = 83
|Sep precipitation mm = 96
|Oct precipitation mm = 115
|Nov precipitation mm = 67
|Dec precipitation mm = 53
|year precipitation mm = 892
|Jan rain mm = 1
|Feb rain mm = 14
|Mar rain mm = 27
|Apr rain mm = 14
|May rain mm = 85
|Jun rain mm = 109
|Jul rain mm = 60
|Aug rain mm = 83
|Sep rain mm = 96
|Oct rain mm = 111
|Nov rain mm = 34
|Dec rain mm = 2
|year rain mm = 636
|Jan snow cm = 92
|Feb snow cm = 36
|Mar snow cm = 45
|Apr snow cm = 21
|May snow cm = 0
|Jun snow cm = 0
|Jul snow cm = 0
|Aug snow cm = 0
|Sep snow cm = 0
|Oct snow cm = 3
|Nov snow cm = 34
|Dec snow cm = 68
|year snow cm = 299
|source 1 = [[The Weather Network]]<ref>The Weather Network: [http://www.theweathernetwork.com/statistics/CL6048231/caon0407?ref=topnav_historical_statistics Statistics: Marathon, ON], accessed March 29, 2012</ref>
|date=June 2011
|precipitation colour=green|rain colour=green}}
{{Weather box
| width = 100% 
| collapsed = y 
| open =
| metric first = y 
| single line = y
| location = Marathon, elevation: {{convert|189|m|abbr=on|disp=or}}, extremes ~1950-1983

| Jan record high C =7.2
| Feb record high C =8.3
| Mar record high C =12.8
| Apr record high C =24.5
| May record high C =28.9
| Jun record high C =30.0
| Jul record high C =32.2
| Aug record high C =30
| Sep record high C =25.6
| Oct record high C =25.0
| Nov record high C =17.2
| Dec record high C =13.5
| Jan record low C =-45.0
| Feb record low C =-36.1
| Mar record low C =-33.3
| Apr record low C =-21.1
| May record low C =-10.0
| Jun record low C =-2.5
| Jul record low C =1.5
| Aug record low C =1.1
| Sep record low C =-6.1
| Oct record low C =-9.4
| Nov record low C =-27.8
| Dec record low C =-34.4
| source = [[Environment and Climate Change Canada|Environment Canada]]<ref name = envcanada>{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1961_1990_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=Marathon&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=912&dispBack=1 |title=Canadian Climate Normals 1961-1990 - Marathon |date=February 9, 2011 |access-date=November 26, 2019 |publisher=[[Environment and Climate Change Canada|Environment Canada]]}}</ref>
}}

==See also==
*[[List of francophone communities in ontario|List of francophone communities in Ontario]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage|Marathon (Ontario)}}
*{{official website|http://www.marathon.ca}}

{{Geographic location 
| Centre = Marathon
| North = [[Unorganized Thunder Bay District]]
| East = [[Unorganized Thunder Bay District]]
| Southeast = [[Pic River 50, Ontario|Pic River 50]]
| Southwest = ''[[Lake Superior]]''
| West = [[Unorganized Thunder Bay District]]
}}
{{Thunder Bay District}}

[[Category:Mining communities in Ontario]]
[[Category:Municipalities in Thunder Bay District]]
[[Category:Single-tier municipalities in Ontario]]
[[Category:Towns in Ontario]]
[[Category:Populated places on Lake Superior in Canada]]

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Marathon, Ontario